If you think about it, in the disruptive world of Amazon and Apple, pretty much everyone is your competitor no matter what sector you’re in. I was talking to a forward thinking business owner in the construction sector last week, who nevertheless was only dimly aware that Amazon were already in the industrial and business supply sector in the US with Amazon Supply and are already making plans to launch in Europe, bringing their anything, anywhere, anytime proposition with them.
But before you descend into paranoia and despair, there are many things you can do as a business owner, or marketing strategist, to make sure your brand still wins in the disruptive technology era.
You will already be aware of the companies that are innovating in your sector, and you know what they’re doing that’s different from you. You may even already be a market leader. But have you really thought about and researched the customer experience that your product or service offers, and really put yourself in your customer’s skin?
[blockquote]‘You must move from merely using technology to get the job done to disrupting yourself and your market by depending on, exploiting and pushing the boundaries of technology.’[/blockquote]
The question for a successful brand owner is not only what your clients want now, but also what they’ll want next and how will you can give it to them, even before they know they want it. Sounds difficult, I know, but it’s really a matter of continuously questioning your clients’ needs and being fast enough to anticipate them in ways that are practical and profitable for your business. Technology makes this process easier.
I remember several years ago talking with the managing director of the major saké producer in Japan to help him create a strategy to make the saké market in Europe more differentiated – more focused on brand and quality. It’s no accident that, if you ask for saké in a restaurant like Wagamama today, you’ll get something more than a lukewarm generic alcoholic drink.
Today I would have used technology and social media to drive that process, but the use of technology is crucial for all brands now, as your customers are all already online and looking for new and better buying experiences. But just using technology is already not enough if you want to be a winning brand.
‘You must move from merely using technology to get the job done to disrupting yourself and your market by depending on, exploiting and pushing the boundaries of technology.’ (Digital Disruption: Unleashing the Next Wave of Innovation, by James McQuivey, page 139).
Brands win in the disruptive technology world by using digital tools as a means of production, rather than as a means of consumption, and this applies to all territories and virtually all sectors.
[blockquote]Our clients know that people buy experiences rather than simply buy products.[/blockquote]
Our clients know that people buy experiences rather than simply buy products, and that everything that surrounds their product or service is an important part of the experience. People buy and seek out experiences, not just products, and the brand that wins offers a total product experience that benefits more people who buy it.
‘Digital disruption will no longer be a phenomenon to analyze, it will just be the way we live.’ (James McQuivey, as above, page 149).
Brands that succeed in the digital age understand that people want to use technology as it makes their lives and their jobs a lot easier, and for the B2B sector that includes other business people too. Technology can transform your life and your business and it can also make your brand succeed in a disruptive technology world.
If you want your brand to win we’re always ready to help you find the experience your customers are searching for. Let’s talk.
Have a look at our video THE FUTURE IS NOW
